October 2005 Archives
Many years ago, mobile phone companies began to include nationwide long distance in their calling plans. This was an exceptional feature for a lot of people, and it was loved.
In addition, the phone companies charged a flat rate for a certain pre-set number of minutes and that worked out well, too. Not so in the world of the land line where, even today, calls are mostly charged by the minute rather than prepaid.
The issue I take with this comes in with international calling. My best friend lives in Canada, and we speak very regularly. In order to afford it, I pay an astronomical rate for a years-old phone plan that still includes calls to canada in the prepaid minutes.
Modern mobile-phone plans don't include these calls without you paying the same rates as this ancient plan - or higher. Instead they offer you the option to pay a small sum which will reduce the per-minute charge on these international calls. In other words, if I pay N dollars a month for 1000 any-time minutes and unlimited nights and weekends, then X dollars on top of that to reduce my long distance fees to call Canada, I still pay long distance in addition to my existing plan. To be entirely truthful, I didn't stick around long enough to see if any of the prepaid air time is expended in addition to this charge, but I find it frustrating and downright inconsistent.
The fact is that mobile phone plans today generally count your air time usage against the minutes you prepaid. To charge in addition to that is wrong. However, if we were to say that each minute on the phone with canada was worth one and a fraction of a minute of air time, that would be much more fair and consistent. It would give folks a chance to stay within their plan, would leave phone companies the ability to choose the value of their international calling, and even potentially be an add-on service that we'd have to pay for. But it would still be more fair than what we've got today.
I'd decided to turn off the trackback feature on this site due to the astronomical amount of trackback spam I've received. I'm terribly sorry if this somehow disappoints anyone, but I sincerely doubt it does.
The other day I wrote about a proposed set of rules to protect the Vermont name witch regards to how it's used in the name of food products. The Douglas administration withdrew support for these rules at the last minute when last I wrote and, as I said, that irked me. I was concerned. I'm glad to see that the legislative panel approved this set of rules.
High Temperature: 76° F
Average High: 61° F
Record High: 82° F in 1891
Low Temperature: 56° F
Average Low: 43° F
Record Low: 27° F in 1948
This is what it's been like here for the last several days. It is unseasonably warm here. Perhaps the antichrist has moved from Lower Tadfield to South Burlington. Read Good Omens to understand that reference.
The heat, and the fluctuations, are starting to get to me in a way. I miss the cold weather and look forward to a Halloween on which, if it was a decade ago, I'd be told to wear a coat over my costume. Silly mother. Doesn't she know ninjas, ghosts, and the grim reaper do not wear coats?
Not this year, they don't, if things keep up the way they are.
George Carlin is one of my favorite comedians, if not my favorite. In 1997 he filmed this special to celebrate forty years in the industry. In it we see two new standup bits, which are priceless, and an interview with Jon Stewart. I love the interview. George takes on a very somber and down to earth attitude and really lets the audience inside his head. It's a brilliant conversation, and I'm thrilled to have seen it. So, if you're a fan, rent yourself George Carlin: 40 Years of Comedy.
A strange and magical thing happened this morning. The heat clicked on downstairs. I suppose I should have tested it earlier, but no matter. The heat came on today. I don't keep it very warm in here. I like it cooler. I enjoy the fall. But when I first moved to Vermont I was told not to let the inside of the house get below sixty degrees, else there may be problems with the pipes.
The heat coming on brings strongly to mind the fact that it's time to start my wood pile. I've got a couple of leads, and will be making some calls today. Welcome, cold weather! I've missed you!